The Killing Moon
by LittleMagenta
Summary: Marauders, year 6. Remus is about to learn just how deep the consequences of being a werewolf can be.


**The Killing Moon**

* * *

**Subject:** Harry Potter – The Marauders, Year 6

**Rating:** PG-13

**Genre:** Drama/General  
  
**Author's Note:** I always enjoy writing Harry Potter fanfics. But lately I've become sick of the way I always drop my multi-chapter stories, and how I can never write a fanfic without doing some self-insertion, with myself as the main character. Lately I've been writing multi-chapter fanfics, partly as an exercise to get over my habit of dropping them. But I didn't want to do a Harry Potter one without a good plot. So, after a few weeks thought, this one popped into my head. Please review it so I know what you think.. There are quite a few of my own characters in here, such as Freya, but she is in no way based on me, as you will see.

**Disclaimer:** Remus Lupin, James Potter, Sirius Black, Peter Pettigrew, and those such characters are property of JK Rowling. The others belong to me.

And another thing...QUICKEDIT _SUCKS_!!!

* * *

_Under blue moon I saw you  
So soon you'll take me  
Up in your arms  
Too late to beg you or cancel it  
Though I know it must be the killing time  
Unwillingly mine  
Fate  
Up against your will  
Through the thick and thin  
He will wait until  
You give yourself to him  
In starlit nights I saw you  
So cruelly you kissed me  
Your lips a magic world  
Your sky all hung with jewels  
The killing moon  
Will come too soon  
Fate  
Up against your will  
Through the thick and thin  
He will wait until  
You give yourself to him_

* * *

**Chapter One:** _Flying Wednesday Boxers_  
  
"Professor Villette is coming! We're done for!"  
  
"Don't wet yourself, Wormtail. She's miles away." Sirius Black eyed the little black dot on the map, which was actually quickly approaching their corridor. "And if we do get caught, the only reason for it will be that you can't keep your mouth shut!"  
  
Peter Pettigrew silenced immediately. The last thing he wanted to do was make any of his friends angry. They were, after all, the only ones he had – the only ones that would accept a chubby, mouse-faced boy with enormous front teeth. He was not oblivious to the fact that he was the odd-one-out in the group. Though the other three did consider Peter a good friend, he knew that the others, James (his idol), Sirius, and Remus, were much more tightly-knit.  
  
"She turned down the other corridor," James announced in a whisper. "Let's go." He handed Remus the map and continued down the hall.  
  
"Quickly – remind me why we are doing this again?"  
  
"Because, Moony," James began, puffing out his chest, "it's fun...and because we can. Besides, we're staring danger in the face. It's...manly!"  
  
"Oh, I see," Remus said. "So, sneaking into the Slytherin common room to steal some of Snape's underwear and bewitching it to fly around the Great Hall proves your manliness."  
  
Sirius snorted and laughed into his hand. James only smiled.  
  
"But of course."  
  
By now they'd all grown used to James' antics. Sirius was usually the only one truly enthusiastic about the adventures they were constantly being sent on, while Remus usually seemed bored and Peter was just glad to be able to witness James' mental prowess. But, contrary to what others thought, James wasn't just a troublemaking hoodlum with no fear of authority. The three he considered his closest friends knew that he was also kind-hearted and would give his life for those he loved. His kind-heartedness was shown by the way he protected and stood by Remus. It had been his idea that they all become animagi, to sort of keep him company.  
  
They finally came to a halt outside of the entrance to the Slytherin common room. Earlier, Wormtail had crawled over with a bunch of Slytherins to find out the password. Now, Peter recited it.  
  
"Dragon blood."  
  
Remus thrust the Marauders Map into Peter's hands as they carefully entered the Common Room.  
  
"All right, here's how it's going to go," James said matter-of-factly. "Wormtail – you're going to sneak into the room and nick Snivellus' underwear. Padfoot will be ready to get you out of there if anything goes wrong while Moony and I keep watch down here."  
  
A panicked look came over Peter's face. "M-me? I have to go alone?"  
  
"Padfoot's going to carry you up the stairs. Calm yourself down." James rubbed his hands together. "Well, what are you waiting for? Let's get with it!"  
  
Peter nervously handed the map back to Remus, and he and Sirius transformed – Sirius into a large black dog, and Peter into a scruffy, grayish rat. Padfoot then lowered himself to the floor so Wormtail could climb onto his back.  
  
"You're a lot...gentler as a dog," James said, laughing. "Maybe you should consider making the change permanent, Padfoot."  
  
_Very funny, Potter,_ Padfoot thought to himself. The black dog then ascended up the winding stairs, Wormtail clinging onto his back for dear life. Remus waited until they were out of sight before turning to James.  
  
"Snape is going to know it was you. You'd better watch your back tomorrow."  
  
James Potter's hazel eyes glittered in the darkness. "Let him try to get his revenge. I live for this."

* * *

Wormtail crept into the room, a bundle of nerves. What would have come out as heavy gasps, were he human, escaped from him instead as a series of frantic squeaks. When he tried to calm himself, the squeaking only got louder.  
  
_Shut up, shut up! You can't let them down..._  
  
The squeaking finally subsided, but Wormtail ran into another problem that hadn't been anticipated, though should have been – Severus' trunk was closed, and Wormtail had no way of opening it himself. He needed Padfoot.  
  
He quickly scampered out and beckoned to the dog, who took the hint and followed him back inside. Wormtail frantically motioned to the latch on the trunk. Padfoot immediately pushed the lock up and opened the trunk.  
  
It made a loud, slamming noise. Wormtail froze in fear. A rustling of bedsheets made Padfoot dive under Severus' bed.  
  
"Did anyone hear that? Dreyer? Scipio?"  
  
Andre Collins was the one to answer.  
  
"Shut your mouth, Severus, and get back to sleep. I didn't hear a thing. It was your imagination, no doubt, you freaking faerie."  
  
As soon as Severus had settled back down, quick as a shot, Padfoot came out from under the bed, grabbed a pair of underwear out of the trunk, and dashed out. Wormtail latched on to one of his legs and just hoped to get back to the common room alive.

* * *

They ran back to the Gryffindor common room as fast as they could; miraculously not being caught by any teachers. Padfoot and Wormtail beat the others, and transformed when James and Remus caught up to them. James gasped the password ("Cornish pixies"), and stumbled in through the passageway.  
  
Sirius dropped his prize on the floor and wiped his mouth.  
  
"So, Sirius," Remus said, catching on, "how is it to have Severus' undergarments in your mouth?"  
  
"Disgusting," Sirius said distastefully. "I'm going to brush my teeth and gargle as soon as we get back to our room."  
  
"Hold on just a minute," James commanded, taking out his wand and poking at the underwear on the floor. "I think you should all take a look at these."  
  
The pair of boxer shorts were black with green five-pointed stars. A tag on the inside was labeled "Wednesday".  
  
Peter stifled a loud snort. Remus let himself go and burst out laughing.  
  
"He...labels his underwear?!"  
  
"That he does." James grinned triumphantly. "I hope you're all ready for a show tomorrow."

* * *

They awoke bright and early the next morning; not wanting to have to cast the spell in front of too many onlookers. Inside the Great Hall, Remus sat down next to Sirius, and across from James and Peter.  
  
"Morning, Remus."  
  
He looked up into the blue eyes of Freya Aravill. She was a fifth-year Ravenclaw of average height, and with short, thin black hair which she attempted to enhance by constantly dyeing. This week she was sporting blue streaks.  
  
She also paid quite a lot of attention to Remus Lupin.  
  
"Er, good morning to you, too...Freya..." His eyes followed her back to the Ravenclaw table. James and Sirius always teased him about her, saying she fancied him. All her attention just made him nervous. They gave him a break this day, though – choosing to simply chuckle under their breath and nudge each other rather than taunt their werewolf friend.  
  
"So, let's do it." James produced the pair of underwear from the pocket of his robes and raised his wand. "Should _Wingardium Leviosa_ suffice?"  
  
"I do think so, James," Peter squeaked excitedly, chewing a fingernail. The other two nodded in agreement.  
  
"_Wingardium Leviosa_."  
  
Severus' clothing rose into the air, instantly drawing attention. As it zoomed along the Great Hall, many students dropped their forks and pointed. Severus, however, had engrossed himself in a book, and had no idea what was going on until someone shrieked, "Haunted underwear!" He glanced up for a minute and spotted it.  
  
The horror formed on his face.  
  
If he had been wise and not let on the clothes were his, Severus could have saved himself loads of embarrassment. But, acting hastily, he leapt out of his seat and into the air after his flying, Wednesday boxers.  
  
"Lookit Snivellus jump! They must be _his_!"  
  
Another hand reached into the air and snatched them before Severus could.  
  
"Hey, everyone! Take a look at this! Severus labels his underwear for each day of the week!"  
  
Severus blushed darkly. As fingers pointed and students sniggered, he lowered his head in shame and left the Great Hall; not even bothering to recover his clothes.  
  
Remus could not help but smile. Usually at this time he would have preoccupied himself, but there was something about bewitched underwear that he could not help but laugh at.  
  
James, Sirius, and Peter exploded into laughter. Peter's could be heard high above the others, shrill and hysterical.  
  
James grinned proudly and stuffed his wand back into his pocket. "Who would know that such a basic spell could provide for such entertainment?"  
  
"Only you, Prongs." Sirius patted him on the back. "Only you."  
  
"James...Potter!"  
  
James turned and looked into the furious green eyes of Lily Evans, a fellow Gryffindor whom he was quite taken with...though he was not too fond of the way she was constantly defending Severus.  
  
"I cannot _believe_ you are still keeping up with these childish antics of yours. You are sixteen now, Potter! It's time to grow up. I'm sure Snape has taken quite enough from you these past few years. Time to give it up!"  
  
"Oh, but Evans..." James made a sad attempt at a sad puppy-dog face. "He's just so much fun to toy with. He makes it so _easy_."  
  
Lily narrowed her eyes. "I hoped you might have changed a little over the summer. You know...for the better. I suppose I was wrong. Potter, you'll never change." She gathered her books and stormed off.  
  
"James...ooh...smooth moves."  
  
"Stuff it, Snuffles." James smirked and messed up his hair skillfully. "She likes me and she knows it. She won't be able to resist me for too much longer."  
  
Remus shook his head. "Whatever you say, James."  
  
"Hey, you watch it, too!"

* * *

After a good and eventful breakfast, the four packed up their books and headed off to their Defense Against Dark Arts lesson. This just served to remind Sirius that the September full moon was drawing nearer.  
  
"I can't believe I forgot about it...sorry, Remus. I should have noticed you were becoming a bit paler than usual. Feeling sick?"  
  
Remus frowned. "Only a little...I still have a few more days left before I have to head off to that nasty shack." He sighed and motioned with his hand. "It's the same every month – Moony gets sick, Moony runs to the dirty shack in Hogsmeade to transform, stays there all night tearing the place apart, and comes back to school the next day with bruises all over his body."  
  
"Hey well, we'll just call over your little friend Freya and she'll make everything all better, yes?" Sirius punched Remus on the arm, trying to lighten the moment. Remus humored him with a diminutive smile.  
  
But the thought of Freya made him nervous. Maybe there was something weird about her, maybe Remus was imagining it. Perhaps she made him uneasy because she was the first girl who had ever shown interest in him in his life. He was, after all, just a tall boy with thin, dull brown hair in old, tattered robes. Of course, why should he push her away? He should embrace the attention, shouldn't he? Or start being a bit nicer to her, at least.  
  
No point in pushing away one of the few people that ever approached him.

* * *

The Killing Moon © Echo & The Bunnymen


End file.
